Iowa: Addiction increases within 50 miles

From Keloland --

A study in Iowa says the closer someone lives to a casino the more likely they are to have a gambling addiction.

Right now Iowa has 16 casinos, it will soon have 17 when the Lyon County project is complete. Having all those casinos in the state is one reason counselors say 88 percent of Iowans have gambled, above the national rate of 80 percent of Americans who say they have gambled before.


A study done by the state of Iowa in 2005 shows that people who live within 50 miles of a casino are more likely to develop a gambling problem. It also showed that Iowa counties with a casino had more bankruptcies. And, counselors say one in five Iowans who seek treatment for a gambling addiction have attempted suicide.